Rotary multicolor printing machine



Sept. 15, 1936. R, T COLVILLE 2,054,215

ROTARY MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16J 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1R. (j. a/ V) SePt- 15, 1935- R. T. coLvlLLE 2,054,215

ROTARY MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 Z'SheetS-Sheet 2Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Aust raliaApplication August 16, 1933, Serial No. 685,449 In Australia August 30,1932 5 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary multi-color printing machines and itsobject is to provide an improved machine whereby printed matter may beproduced in a plurality of colors more rapidly 5 than with knownmachines, at reduced cost, and

with the several colors in accurate register.

A further object of this invention is to avoid the disadvantages whichare associated with the release and partial delivery of a sheet before lprinting is completed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a machine inwhich perfecting may be effected in one, two or more colors on bothsides of a sheet simultaneously.

A feature of this improved machine is that printed sheets may bedelivered face upward without the aid of wheels, discs or other devicesand in such manner that no part of the machine will contact with the wetprinted matter.

This invention is characterized in that the impression cylinder has aplurality of faces not less than three and in that in each revolutioneach sheet, carrying face is preceded and followed by a face which isblank in that revolution.

25 This invention is further characterized in Athat when the impressioncylinder has an odd number of faces the face which canies a sheet whichis being printed is followed by a blank face and is preceded by a facewhich is blank until it re- 30 ceives a sheet to be printed during thenext revolution, and in that the said sheet carrying face becomes ablank face in the said next revolution.

This invention is further characterized in that when the impressioncylinder has an even num- 35 ber of faces alternate faces arepermanently blank.

This invention is further characterized in that each cylinder which isadapted to revolve in contact with the impression cylinder has alternate40 operative -faces and blank spaces and in that during ordinary offsetor direct printing each operative face is adapted to contact with asheet carrying face on the impression cylinder and each blank spaceregisters with a blank face on 45 the impression cylinder.

This invention is further characterized in that during perfecting theface which is to carry a sheet in the next revolution receives animpression from a co-operating cylinder which will be 50 offset on tothe inner face of said sheet when itsA outer face receives an impressionfrom another c'o-operating cylinder during said next revolution.

In the presentl embodiment of this invention the impression cylinder hasan odd number of 56 faces, not less than three. and each co-operatingcylinder associated with it has one face the same size as an impressionface, and a space equal to the distance between alternate impressionfaces.

In a modified arrangement the impression cylinder has an even number offaces, not less than four and alternate faces are permanently blank.

But in order that this invention may be more readily understood it willnow be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichonly the main cylinders are diagrammatlcally illustrated, the inkingrollers, tripping mechanism and other machine parts being omitted.

Fig. 1 shows parts of a multi-color offset printing machine comprisingan impression cylinder having three impression faces two co-operatingoifset cylinders and two printing cylinders associated with each offsetcylinder.

Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but showing the position of the partsafter the impression cylinder has revolved one third of a revolutionfrom the position shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but adapted for perfecting in twocolors simultaneously on each side of va sheet.

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but showing the position of the partsafter the impression cylinder has revolved one third of a revolutionfrom the position shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but with an impression cylinderhaving five faces.

Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but showing an impression cylinderhaving two impression faces and two blank faces.

Fig. '7 shows parts of a direct multi-color printing machine whichincludes an impression cylinder having five faces combined with fourprintingcylinders. i

Fig. 8 shows parts of a machine similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but withthe offset cylinders and the printing cylinders arranged so that theymay be adjusted relatively to driving gear, for perfecting.

Fig. 9 is a similar view to Fig. 8 but with the right hand offsetcylinder and thev associated plate cylinders adjusted for perfecting.

Fig. 10 is an end view of an adjustable cylinder.

Fig. 11 is a vertical central section of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

In the drawings, II is the impression cylinder, and in Figs. 1 to 6, I2and I2a are co-operating offset cylinders, I3, I3FL are plate cylindersassociated with offset cylinder I2, and I3b, I3 are plate cylindersassociated with offset cylinder I2". The said parts may be combined ina'machine in any known manner with means whereby they may be revolved inunison. Such means and other essential well known parts may be of anysuitable construction, combined and arranged in manner well known toprinting machine engineers. It will be obvious that more than two offsetcylinders may be employed and also that means may be provided wherebymatter to be printed maybe deposited in more than two colors on each orany selected offset cylinder.

In Figs. 1 to 4, cylinder II has three impression faces Il, IID and IIcof similar size while in Figs. 5 and 7 the impression cylinder hasflvefaces, the two additional faces being marked I Id, I Ic. The saidimpression faces are spaced apart only a sufficient distance to permitoperation of gripper mechanism of well known form (not shown) whichco-operates with the leading edge of each impression face to locate asheet of material. In Fig. 6 the impression cylinder has four faces twoof which, II`t and IIB, are operative, while the alternate faces IIh andII* are permanently blank and inoperative.

Each cylinder I2 andv I28L (Figs. 1 to 6) has one offset face I2b thedimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of each impression faceand each said lface I2b carries an offset blanket I2d of suitablematerial such as rubber or rubber composition. The space I2C, on eachoffset cylinder is blank, and is complementary circumferentially withthe space between alternate faces of the impression cylinder.

Each printing cylinder I3 to Iiic has a plate carrying face I3d whichcorresponds in dimensions with the face I2b on the offset cylinder withwhich it is associated. The remaining portion I3e of each printingcylinder is blank and is complementary to space I2.

Any suitable feed and delivery means is usable and such means may belocated at any suitable position. By way of example feed means as I5 anddelivery means as I4, which are suitable for paper, are illustrated inFigs. 1 to 5 and Fig. '7 but the position of such means may be varied tosuit sheetsv of other material such as cardboard and tin, as shown at|43 and I5n respectivelyin Fig. 6.

In the form shown in Fig. 7 the impression cylinder has five faces II.8lto II but the offset cylinders are omitted the co-operating cylindersbeing printing cylinders I3t each of which has a plate carrying face I3'which contacts directly with the paper carrying impression faces in eachrevolution, the blank space I3h on each cylinder I3t registering withimpression faces which are blank in that revolution.

Referring now to Fig. 1, assuming that face IIb which is shown incontact with cylinders I2, i2", is carrying a sheet of paper orother,mate rial S1, the matter to be printed which has previously beendeposited by the plates on faces i3d on to blankets IZd, is nowvbeingoffset from said faces on to the said sheet.

During this'revolution face II (that is the face preceding face IIb) isblank and so also is face II which has just delivered al sheet S2. Whenthe leading edge of face Il* reaches the feed means I1 it commences toreceive a sheet S3 but the rear portion of face I I* remains blank untilthe sheet on ,face IIb is completely printed. Assuming now that thecylinder II turns one third of a revolution, that is from the positionin Fig. 1 to that in Fig. 2, face II* carrying sheet S3 revolves towardthe printing vposition'preceded by face II which is still blank and theprinted sheet SI carried by face IIb is approaching the point at whichit will be delivered so that while the sheet on face Il is beingprintedit is preceded and followed by a face which is blank in that revolution.When face Iic reaches the feed point I1 it commences to receive a sheetand the cycle of operations continues as before described.

With an impression cylinder having five faces the cycle cf operations isthe same as before described in that the sheet carrying face is precededand followed by a face which is blank in that revolution. In Fig. 5, S4is a printed sheet approaching the delivery point, S5 a sheet which isbeing printed and S6 a sheet to be printed.

In each case the sheet carrying face in one revolution is blank in thenext revolution and each face which is blank in that revolution becomesa sheet carrying face in a succeeding revolution.

When perfecting on bothsides of a sheet is to be effectedsimultaneously, one of the offset cylinders (for example cylinder I2a)is turned through 180 and the printing cylinders associated with it aresimilarly adjusted (see Figs. 3 and 4) and each face of the impressioncylinder II is provided with an offset blanket I6. The. effect of thisis that in each revolution the blank faces preceding and following thesheet `carrying face each contact with blankets I2d of cylinder I2a andmatter to be printed on the inner side of a sheet is deposited thereonso that during the next revolution, when such face is carrying a sheet,it meets the blanket I2d of cylinder I2 and receives matter therefrom inits outer face, the pressure resulting also in the transfer of theimpression from the blanket III on to its inner face so that perfectingis effected on both sides simultaneously. A

In Fig. 3 .E3l is a sheet being printed, S2 a sheet which has just beendelivered andl S3 a sheet to be printed as already described withreference to Fig. l the sheets in Fig. 4 being in the same positions asin Fig 2.

To enable an offset cylinder and its associated plate cylinders to beadjusted as described, each said cylinder is connected to its drivinggear I8 by bolts I9 which are located at accurately spaced apartintervals. When the machine is to be used f for perfecting the bolts I9,which hold one offset cylinder H2'l for example) and its associatedplate cylinders are removed, and the said cylinders are turned through180 degrees relatively to their respective gears I9, that is from theposition shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 9 and the bolts I9 arcpositioned to secure the respective cylinders in their adjustedpositions.

The form shown in Fig., 6 is particularly suitable for relatively stiffmaterial such as sheets of tin or card. In this case as each impressionface is separated by a permanently b lankspace and each said face isadapted to receive and deliver a sheet in each revolution, thus asillustrated face at least two offset cylinders operatively mounted inrelation to the said impression cylinder, each said offset cylinderhaving an offset face and a spacethearrangementbeingsuchthatthoonsstface cont'acts with alternate impression faces. a plurality of platecylinders mounted in operative contact with each onset cylinder. andmeans whereby an onset cylinder and associated plate cylinders may becircumferentially adjusted so that in each revolution each tace of theimpression cylinder which does not carry a sheet in that revolutionreceives an impression which is onset 4on to the inner tace oi' a sheetwhen the outer tace of said sheet receives an impression from anotheronset cylinder in the following revolution.

2. In a multi-color onset printing machine. a main frame, an impressioncylinder rotatably mounted therein, an odd plurality of impression faceson said impression cylinder, at least two onset cylinders operativelymounted in relation to the said impression cylinder, an onset face and aspace on each onset cylinder. the arrangement being such that the onsetface contacts with alternate impression faces. an onset blanket on eachface of the impression cylinder and means whereby one or more of saidonset cylinders may vbe adjusted circumierentially so thatwhen an onsetface of. one onset cylinder is printing on a sheet carrying face oi"thej impression cylinder, the clrcumferentiaily adjusted onset cylinderwill contact with faces which precede and follow a sheet carrying faceand which do not carry a sheet in that revolution.

3. In a multi-color onset printing machine, a main frame, an impressioncylinder rotatably mounted therein. an odd plurality of impression faceson said cylinder, at least two onset cylinders operatively mounted inrelation to the said impression cylinder, each said onset cylinderhavinganonsetfaceandaspace.thearrange ment being such that the onsetface contacts with alternate impression faces. an onset blanket on eachtace ofthe impression cylinder and means Awhereby any selected onsetcylinder may be circumferentially adjusted so that in each revolutioneach non-sheet carrying tace on the impression cylinder receives animpression which will be onset on to the inner tace o! a sheet in thei'ollowing revolution.

4. A multicolor onset printing machine comprising iixed framing, arotatable impression cylinder. an odd plurality of faces on saidimpression cylinder, means to feed material to receive an impression toeach alternate face of the impression cylinder in each revolution, aplurality o! rotatable onset cylinders, an onset face and a space oneach onset cylinder the said onset face and vspace being so arrangedthat in each revolution the onset tace registers with an impression faceand the space registers with the impressionv face in advance of and theimpression face at the rear of the registering impression face. and aplurality of plate cylinders cooperating with each onset cylinder.

5. In a multicolor onset printing machine as claimed in claim 4, anonset blanket on each face of the impression cylinder. and means wherebyone ol' the onset cylinders and the plate-cylinders associated therewithmay be adjusted relatively the impression cylinder so. that the onsetface of the said onset cylinder deposits an impression directly on theblanket ot each impression face which registers with the space ot theother onset cylinder in that revolution.

ROBERT THOMAS COLVILLE.

